Maximize Your Business with IT: Internet Sharing & Monitoring
We live in a digital age, and no business can thrive or succeed without the Internet. But, how you use the Internet is just as important. Without an effective Internet strategy in place, the Web will be nothing more than a productivity inhibitor, and a drain on your staff and financial resources.
All businesses need a strict, well-enforced Internet Usage Policy. This will help you control the way your employees use the Web, and reduce your potential liability for any inappropriate actions they perpetrate using the Internet during company hours. Make sure your policy covers not only Internet utilization, but use of email and attachments, as well as information distribution. You can obtain a sample Internet Usage Policy at KnowledgeLeader or Free Management Library, or have your lawyer draft a customized one for you.
With a “proxy server”, aka Internet sharing server, as the only means of Internet access for your employees, you can further avoid risk and minimize the amount of time and money wasted on non-work activities. These servers have configurable filters that allow you to block staff members from accessing the Web for personal use. For example, you can prevent users from viewing adult Web sites, downloading movie and music files, using instant messaging applications, playing poker and other online games, visiting chat rooms, checking stocks, and more. You can also closely monitor Internet activity, to instantly identify any employee who may be using the Web for improper behavior. Have your IT department provide detailed weekly reports on Internet usage, and immediately penalize anyone who is caught breaking your Internet Usage Policy.
Proxy servers are available from many vendors, including Microsoft, Wavecrest, and Qbik. Some of the Internet usage monitoring tools on the market today include Track4Win, Echo, Activity Monitor, and Websense.
Because staff members will still need to download files as part of their day-to-day work, you should install an antivirus solution on these servers. This will enable you to automatically detect and delete any infected files before they come through and wreak havoc on your systems.